Aboriginals in Australia: A Rich Cultural Legacy

[Lois]

Aboriginals in Australia: A Rich Cultural Legacy

The Aboriginal people of Australia hold a unique place in the country's cultural heritage. With a history dating back tens of thousands of years, they are the indigenous inhabitants of the continent, representing a diverse range of tribes, languages, and traditions. This essay explores the rich cultural legacy of the Aboriginals and the challenges they have faced throughout history.

The Aboriginal people have a profound spiritual connection to the land, considering themselves as custodians of the natural environment. Their cosmology is deeply intertwined with the Dreamtime, a sacred era when ancestral beings created the world and its features. Through intricate storytelling, art, and songlines (tracks that follow the paths of these ancestral beings), they preserve their cultural beliefs and knowledge, passing them down from generation to generation.

Art holds a significant place in Aboriginal culture. From cave paintings to contemporary artworks, Aboriginal art represents a visual language that communicates stories, traditions, and spiritual connections. Dot painting, cross-hatching, and symbols depicting Dreamtime narratives are distinctive features of Aboriginal art. These art forms not only celebrate their rich heritage but also serve as a medium for cultural preservation and self-expression.

Language plays a crucial role in Aboriginal culture, with hundreds of distinct languages spoken across the continent. Sadly, many of these languages are endangered or have become extinct due to colonization and the impact of Western influences. Efforts are being made to revitalize and preserve Aboriginal languages, recognizing their vital role in preserving cultural identity and heritage.

The arrival of European settlers in Australia brought significant challenges to the Aboriginal population. Dispossession of land, forced assimilation, and policies of cultural suppression had devastating consequences on Aboriginal communities. The Stolen Generations, a dark chapter in Australian history, refers to the forced removal of Aboriginal children from their families, resulting in the loss of cultural connections and identity. These historical injustices continue to impact Aboriginal communities today, with disparities in health, education, and socio-economic status.

In recent decades, there has been an increased recognition of the importance of reconciliation and empowering Aboriginal voices. Land rights movements, cultural revitalization programs, and the acknowledgment of Aboriginal sovereignty have emerged as steps towards healing past wounds. The establishment of National Sorry Day and the celebration of NAIDOC Week (National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee) serve as reminders of the ongoing journey towards reconciliation and embracing Australia's diverse cultural heritage.

The Aboriginal people of Australia have shown remarkable resilience, maintaining their cultural practices and fighting for recognition and justice. Their contribution to Australia's cultural fabric cannot be overstated, as their traditions, art, and spirituality continue to inspire and enrich the nation's identity.

In conclusion, the Aboriginal people of Australia possess a profound cultural legacy that spans thousands of years. Their connection to the land, storytelling traditions, vibrant art, and diverse languages are testament to their resilience and unique contributions. By recognizing and respecting the rights and heritage of Aboriginals, Australia can strive towards a more inclusive society that celebrates and preserves this rich cultural legacy for generations to come.

 

[Lairg]

I suspect that the Wandjina are still residing within various hills including one not far from me.  It seems to me that the Wandjina continue to instruct the Indigenous "clever men"

 

A woman I know says she occasionally sees Wandjina (as tall white beings) walking over the hill behind her house - backing on to a volcanic plug

 

 

 

Edited July 6, 2023 by Lairg

[Lois]

5 hours ago, Lairg said:

I suspect that the Wandjina are still residing within various hills including one not far from me.  It seems to me that the Wandjina continue to instruct the Indigenous "clever men"

 

A woman I know says she occasionally sees Wandjina (as tall white beings) walking over the hill behind her house - backing on to a volcanic plug

https://japingkaaboriginalart.com/artwork/

[Nungali]

Here is my teacher -  'Uncle Lewi '  . It's a dated film , but still timeless . I have not seen him for a while  - but still, his  teachings continue to ripen and produce fruit . The background is up Rocky River , approaching a special sacred site  -  which I was honoured to be  allowed to visit , and spend some time camping nearby   .Beautiful !  The river braids through a rock bed, all around are clear pools, eddies , little waterfalls, river gravel beaches . A low vegetation was over a lot of the islands, twisted and like bonsai from the flood, it was all in various types of flower and had small various species of honey eater birds and small kingfishers* darting about .

 

At one spot, I found a gunya ( small natural hut / shelter ) on a small  river gravel island . An unfinished project was underway there , some stone axe heads and chippings from where they where being made , handles, binding and 'native epoxy'  **   ... in the 21st C ! I was rather amazed  and respectfully retreated .

 

 

 

*

 

 

** 

3. Thermoplastic resins

https://www.australiangeographic.com.au/topics/history-culture/2015/03/aboriginal-australian-inventions/

 

( also the first people to make bread , an aerodynamic 'wing', start farming, create aquaculture ... etc . )

 

Here  is one the '  Nephs ' , their (blood) Uncle Lewi , taught them when young lads,  how to survive , long term, in the wilderness, starting off with ..... the bare naked self , and of course, the teachings, knowledge, Law and how to apply it all  ( they where also required to 'prove' that by being dropped off naked in the wilderness and ....  basically ...  being able to come back healthy and alive after several months  their first initiation into manhood.   )

 

 

 

You can feel the quiet calm and confident nature of these people ; the Bunjalung .  I have never received anything from the Bundjaulung  but kindness, understanding, food, shelter and teaching .   - Booglebar !

 

 

.

 

Edited July 7, 2023 by Nungali

[Nungali]

Hey you little fellahs , whats up ? ... You got prickles in your soft feet ? ... hang on .

 

 

 (  a  bit of 'modern marketing humour '   at the end  ...     )

 

 

[old3bob]

on a tangent from op: Do you know what is up with all the sci-fi like critters down under?

(which seems to have more that the average share of them)

Edited July 9, 2023 by old3bob

[Nungali]

Nothing is 'up' with them .... they are all 'down'  .... here .

 

Eg. people ( that have not grown up with them  ) say a platypus is a strange creature ; it has a bill like a duck ....no, it doesnt , it has a bill like a platypus ( and its frame is made by the evolutionary metamorphosis of the canine teeth ) , a tail like a beaver .... what is a 'beaver' ? ,  and so on .

 

One time, while a rather spectacular rain forest scene was happening to the north , a visitor was amazed " Look at that ! It looks like Ecuador ... or somewhere like that ! "  me : 'No, it looks like  a remnant  Australian east coast Gondwandian rain forest ."

 

I'll tell you what is strange ..... having to worry about out the back to the outhouse and hoping no giant furry , huge clawed, gigantic toothed  ..... something ..... might pounce on you or bite yer arm off ! 

 

yeah .... I know , we got 'strange' versions of them too  ;

 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 10, 2023 by Nungali

[old3bob]

those cuddly looking guys have quite the sets of claws...

[Nungali]

Dont worry .... we pump them full of sedatives before we hand them over to visiting dignitaries for a cuddle   

[old3bob]

I see down under has its own variation of Big-foot:

Yowie History 

This is a very brief introduction on the history of the Yowie. There will be more detailed information quoting historical records on the new website shortly.

Yowies are out in our Australian bush and have been well documented throughout Australian colonial history from as early as 1789 and found in Aboriginal history.

The Yowie is common in Aboriginal culture and has gone by many different names depending on the region. In Queensland the Yowie is known to some Aboriginal tribes as quinkin and joogabinna. while in New South Wales it is known as thoolagal, jurrawarra, myngawin, puttikan, doolaga,gularga, and Ghindaring. Some other names include yaroma, noocoonah, wawee, pangkarlangu, tjangara and jimbra.

[Nungali]

Three types

one is mostly a 'spirit being'  non-corporeal . One is sorta half way between worlds and one is more like big foot "real' but also suggested to be an earlier occupant than 'contemporary' Aboriginals . eg, old stories from the current Aboriginals about 'hairy men / man '

 

I grew up with the name and never realized the significance of the area I grew up near ' Yowie Bay ' , must have been a few sightings there  in the past ?

 

some references in here that might be interesting to follow up ;

 

https://www.ancient-origins.net/unexplained-phenomena/australian-yowie-mysterious-legends-tribe-hairy-people-003605

[old3bob]

I've been in the Olympic National rain forest in the north west US.  Any creature could easily hide in there including a Big Foot!

Heck if a person walked a little ways into the trees and heavy ferns they could get lost quickly (if they weren't careful) since much of the sunlight gets blocked out and everything looks the same besides the fact of not being able to see more than a few yards, I wouldn't dare be in such a place at night.  Call me chicken.

 

 

(although some parts have trails and are more open)

Edited July 16, 2023 by old3bob

[Nungali]

In the forest here some trees have huge high buttress roots; like a wall or fin of wood a couple of inches thick, if you kick or knock on them they make a reverberating knock through the tree and out into the forest .  Some people say  by tapping on them with a rock, that is the way Yowies signal each other .

 

So this guy shows me , and then far away across the other side of the valley we hear an answer .  He went OFF ! " See it works !  There are Yowies out there ! "

 

Me ; " Or ....... "

 

Him: " Or what ? "

 

Me:  " Its some other guy over there tapping a root and dancing around in excitement going ' See , it works  there are Yowies out there ! ?